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EU publishes first list of air safety authorisation for third country airlines

BRUSSELS, July 2 (KUNA) -- The European Commission and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Thursday released the first single air safety authorisations to 22 third country operators. These certifications will be valid throughout the EU.
By 2016, all non-EU airlines wishing to fly to the EU will be required to hold such authorisation certifying their compliance with international safety standards, said the EU's executive body in a statement.
The objective of this new scheme is twofold: cutting red-tape by replacing today's maze of national authorisations with a single document and maintaining high level of aviation safety in Europe, it noted.
EU Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc commented that "it will take the safety of Europeans one step further by ensuring that third country operators flying to Europe match the highest safety standards, comparable to those the EU requires from European carriers." EASA's Executive Director Patrick Ky added that a total of 700 foreign air carriers from more than 100 countries have already applied to be authorised to fly in the European Union." A European Commission spokesperson for transport told the Kuwait News Agency, KUNA, that more such lists for other third country airlines will be signed in the coming months.
The list of the 22 airlines published today includes EMIRATES, ETIHAD, OMAN AIR and QATAR AIRWAYS. (end) nk.mt